


The Final Hurdle

by sinusoid



Series: Mega Man Zero Retold - Audio Drama Scripts [2]
Category: Rockman Zero | Mega Man Zero
Genre: Audio Drama Script Format, Elpizo resents Harpuia, Elpizo what were you thinking, Fefnir and Leviathan make an appearance for 10 seconds, Gen, Harpuia is actually smart, Harpuia plays Elpizo like a fiddle, Non Canon-Compliant - Rockman Zero, Operation Righteous Strike was a terrible idea, What happened between Elpizo and the Guardians at the end of Operation Righteous Strike, as he is supposed to be, because it seems important
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:35:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28580610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinusoid/pseuds/sinusoid
Summary: Operation Righteous Strike is underway. As the Resistance's forces scramble to give Elpizo enough time to bring down Harpuia, the interim leader of Neo Arcadia strikes a nerve with the Resistance Commander.Formatted as a script for an audio drama.
Series: Mega Man Zero Retold - Audio Drama Scripts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094156
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	The Final Hurdle

**Author's Note:**

> The history between Elpizo and Harpuia is extremely interesting to me and I can see it being the driving force behind Elpizo's character. Sadly, MMZ2 gave me almost nothing about their past relationship, though it did hint to some bad blood between the two near the end of the game. So I decided to flesh this out some more.
> 
> At the end of the Operation Righteous Strike level, you find Elpizo knocked out in a separate room with the Guardians. This felt like a great setting for some Elpizo and Harpuia *drama*.
> 
> Note about Harpuia's voice: I imagine all his lines being spoken without him ever raising his voice. While his emotions might slip out, he does his best to keep a calm demeanor. My reasoning for this is in the End Notes.
> 
> Enjoy!

[INT. NEO ARCADIA CENTRAL PALACE]

[EXTENDED SOUNDS OF GUNFIRE ARE HEARD IN THE BACKGROUND]

**RESISTANCE SOLDIER 1**

[ _yelling over gunfire_ ] Commander, you need to keep going. Leave the rest of them to us!

**ELPIZO**

Nggghh, I can still help here!

[ELPIZO GRUNTS AS HE SLASHS THROUGH AN ENEMY]

**ELPIZO**

[ _to the fallen enemy_ ] Ha! How’d you like that?

**RESISTANCE SOLDIER 2**

There’s no point to any of this if we lose you here, Commander! If you get Harpuia, you’ll end all of this.

**ELPIZO**

But—

**RESISTANCE SOLDIER 1**

We’ll cover you! Just get to the throne room!

**ELPIZO**

[ _sighs_ ] Oh, alright! Give them everything you’ve got, gentlemen! I’ll get this over with _quickly_.

[WE HEAR ELPIZO DASH THROUGH THE HALL.]

**ELPIZO**

Out of my way! Coming through!

[SOUNDS OF ELPIZO SLASHING HIS SABER THROUGH SOME ENEMIES.]

**ELPIZO**

Hello! [ _a slash_ ] Goodbye!

[GUNFIRE NOISES GET SOFTER AS ELPIZO GETS FARTHER FROM THE ACTION.]

[FOOTSTEPS STOP. ELPIZO REGAINS HIS COMPOSURE WITH A HUFF.]

**ELPIZO**

Well, Mr. Throne Room Door, _what_ am I going to do with you? I guess I could _try_ —

[SOUNDS OF A KEYPAD BEEPING MULTIPLE TIMES. ELPIZO HUMS ALONG WITH THE BEEPS.]

[HAPPY BEEP.]

**ELPIZO**

Ha!

**CONSOLE**

[ _Sounds like a text-to-speech program_ ] TK-31. Authorized.

**ELPIZO**

Didn’t even take me off the list. _Amazing_...

[HE SHEATHS HIS SABER.]

[SOUNDS OF THE METAL DOOR ROLLING UP.]

[WE HEAR ELPIZO’S FOOTSTEPS. HE IS WALKING SLOWLY, CAUTIOUSLY.]

[ELPIZO STOPS AND SCOFFS.]

**ELPIZO**

[ _projecting his voice across the room_ ] Fine day we’re having.

**HARPUIA**

[ _spoken with his chin held high_ ] TK-31...

**ELPIZO**

You forgot to revoke my authorization priveleges, by the way. Another _stupid_ oversight to add to the list you seem to be accumulating, _Sage_ Harpuia.

**HARPUIA**

I just didn’t want you breaking through the door. No need to add to the list facilities to fix after this little fiasco of yours is over.

**ELPIZO**

How considerate of you. Though I think a broken door will be the _least_ of our worries once we take over.

**HARPUIA**

And how exactly do you expect to take over, TK-31? Your troops are almost wiped out...

[EXTENDED SOUNDS OF GUNFIRE PEPPERED WITH SOME SOUNDS OF RESISTANCE SOLDIERS GETTING HIT AND FALLING, THROUGH SECURITY FOOTAGE]

**ELPIZO**

[ _sneering_ ] I just need to get _you_... [ _unsheathing his saber_ ] and it’ll all be over.

**HARPUIA**

[ _scoffing_ ] Hmph. You’re naive if you think killing me will change anything. But I’ll humor you.

Go ahead...

**ELPIZO**

Gladly! Prepare yourself!

[A PAUSE]

**ELPIZO**

What are you playing at? Get your sabers out and **fight**!

[ _irritated_ ] _Get off that throne..._

**HARPUIA**

I don’t think I will. So if you want to kill me, _go ahead_. [ _menacingly low_ ]

**ELPIZO**

Oh hoho! This is some kind of trap, isn’t it?

[A PAUSE.]

**ELPIZO**

[ _audibly smirking_ ] Or you’re bluffing.

**HARPUIA**

It’s really not that complicated.

**ELPIZO**

Of course, you’d pull something like this. You _always_ do. Nothing’s ever _straightforward_ with you.

**HARPUIA**

I am _literally_ telling you to kill me—

**ELPIZO**

[ _frustrated_ ] No-you— **Shut up**! I know you’re messing with me. If Zero were the one here, you wouldn’t have wasted a _second_ getting ready to fight him. But you’re trying to get into my head to _enjoy yourself_.

You think I’m beneath you, so you’re playing games with me.

**HARPUIA**

Now you’re just wasting our time.

**ELPIZO**

[ _sarcastic and angry_ ] Oh, I’m sorry! Do you have somewhere else to be? Someone more important to meet with than this lowly _errand boy_ , perhaps?

**HARPUIA**

It’s clear you’re not an errand boy anymore. I’ll give you that... Commander of the Resistance, though? [ _he scoffs_ ].

**ELPIZO**

Surprised? I’ll have you know it takes more than just being _built_ special to do what I do. You don’t have the _right_ to look down on me just because I’m a mass-produced build. So _get off your high horse_.

**HARPUIA**

For a commander, you seem to be taking this very personally.

**ELPIZO**

[ _something breaks in his voice_ ] You ordered me _executed_! Of _course,_ I’d take it personally.

**HARPUIA**

You stepped out of line... You knew the punishment for that.

**ELPIZO**

I saw a _record_. You wanted me scrapped for opening a record on a _research mission_? In a _**library**_??

**HARPUIA**

My instructions were clear.

That particular record contained highly classified information that could be deadly in the wrong hands. And it currently _is_ in the wrong hands. You’ve already put both Neo Arcadia _and_ the Resistance in danger by bringing those two baby elves together, TK-31.

**ELPIZO**

[ _irritated_ ] Stop calling me that... My name is _Elpizo_.

**HARPUIA**

This is exactly what I'm talking about. After _reading that record_ , you named yourself after Project Elpizo? That project was a _catastrophe_. I cannot believe how someone as _ignorant_ as you was made commander of the Resistance.

**ELPIZO**

If I’m so ignorant, how am I here right now? How did the Resistance escape your forces after Zero terminated X? Your arms factories, supplies, and security data were all trashed by Zero, but all of those plans and assignments were _mine_.

[ _proud but earnest_ ] And I didn’t have to be _born_ a strategist to get here. I made mistakes. I _learned_. And I **earned** my position. [ _ELPIZO has never felt more triumphant in his life than at this very moment._ ]

[ _scornful_ ] What do _you_ have to show? For someone who was made to make the right decisions, you’ve been _failing_ an awful lot.

[A PAUSE.]

**HARPUIA**

Are you done?

[ELPIZO SIGHS.]

**ELPIZO**

[ _softly, with a tinge of anxiety_ ] I have to admit... I don’t know if this is a trap or a bluff...

But I can’t walk out of here empty handed. So many people are counting on me.

**HARPUIA**

But you’re not doing it for _them_ , are you?

**ELPIZO**

[ _seething_ ] _That does it._

[ELPIZO DASHES FORWARD, SABER IN HAND, LETTING OUT A WARCRY.]

[WE HEAR FEET LAND ON THE GROUND FROM A FALL, A SWIPE OF A WEAPON, AND THEN ELPIZO GRUNTING, SURPRISED BY THE SNEAK ATTACK. ENTER LEVIATHAN.]

**ELPIZO**

[ _heavily breathing_ ] What?

**LEVIATHAN**

[ _teasing_ ] _Surprise_...

[WE HEAR THE GROUND CRACK FROM A HEAVY IMPACT. ENTER FEFNIR.]

**FEFNIR**

Anyone ever tell you you talk too much?

[SOUNDS OF TWO LARGE EXPLOSIONS, A SCREAM OF PAIN FROM ELPIZO, AND THEN ELPIZO HITTING THE GROUND. HIS SABER FALLS AWAY FROM HIM.]

**ELPIZO**

[ _gravely injured. on the ground_ ] H-Harpuia.

You... _bastard._

**HARPUIA**

You brought this upon yourself. You wasted your time gloating while all your soldiers died for you. You thought this _joke_ of an assault would catch us off guard. What did you call it? Operation _Righteous Strike_?

**ELPIZO**

[ _struggling to speak_ ] H-How do you...

**HARPUIA**

How do I _know_? Ever since the Resistance escaped us a year ago, I focused all my resources on finding them and watching their movements.

**FEFNIR**

It was honestly kinda scary. He was holed up in this room for _months_ just watching surveillance feeds.

**LEVIATHAN**

Well, until Zero happened.

**FEFNIR**

[ _knowingly nodding_ ] Until Zero happened...

**HARPUIA**

While I admit bringing Zero to you was a gamble, it was all I needed to get you all riled up.

**ELPIZO**

_You_... brought Zero... to us?

**HARPUIA**

I knew what assignments you would have given him and made sure that we had backups in place for anything you would destroy. Knowing Zero, it was clear you’d be way ahead of schedule in deploying this operation.

And you played your cards exactly as expected...

So take it from someone who — as you put it — was _made_ to make the right decisions: You were impatient, you miscalculated, and because of _you_ , the Resistance will die.

[WE HEAR THE DEAFENING SOUND OF A MISSILE BEING LAUNCHED.]

**Author's Note:**

> A lot of Harpuia's character in this piece was inspired by the Reploid Remix, "Harpuia." It's a remix of a song that only plays once during Z2 when Harpuia is forced into his super phenomenon by the baby elves. However, the remix felt like it was meant to show us what kind of a person Harpuia has become by Z2. It brought out a more cunning, deliberate, and resentful side of the character.
> 
> I find it hilarious that the games tell us Harpuia is the "wise" Guardian when almost all the decisions he makes seem terrible from our perspective as the player. But after listening to the remix for hours on end, I realized that his decisions in Z2 made sense. I like to imagine that he blamed Copy X and Phantom's deaths on his own lack of wisdom and composure, so he spent the whole year between Z1 and Z2 trying to improve himself in at regard. Less loud and judgemental, more calm and calculating.


End file.
